Golf flagpole retriever



March 21, 1967 R. P, BAIRD, JR 3,310,026

GOLF FLAGPOLE RETR IEVER Filed Oct. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A l-"Q 22 INVENT? March 21, 1967 R. P. BAIRD, JR 3,310,026

GOLF FLAGPOLE RETRIEVER Filed Oct. 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,310,026 GOLF FLAGPOLE RETRIEVER Roger P. Baird, In, Henrico, Va., assignor to Auto Rinse Corporation, Richmond, Va. Filed Oct. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 504,026 3 Claims. (Cl. 116173) The object of this invention is to provide increased. enjoyment from the game of golf by elimination of the necessity for golfers to bend over in order to pick up a golf pole when said pole is lying on the ground.

Golf rules require flag poles be removed While golfers putt out. Golfers without caddies normally drop the pole onto the green, complete their butting and then one of the group has to stoop or bend over to pick up the pole and return it to an upright position in the cup. The object of this invention is to provide a device which enables golfers to retrieve a golf flag pole, from a lying on the green position, without the golfer having to bend over to reach the pole on the green. My device allows golfers to hook or snag the flag pole assembly with use of their putter as a hook on an extended handle.

Those familiar with the art have a simple method of dropping golf flag poles onto greens in a manner which causes no damage to the greens. This is done by gently touching the lower end of a flag pole to the green and then dropping the pole. The pole then falls and hits the green in a slapping fashion. This slapping action assures that all dynamic and gravity forces are evenly distributed and absorbed along the full length of the pole which results in a negligible pounds per square inch force at any One point and thus results in no damage to the greens. Another object of this invention is to provide a retrieving device for flag poles which will not cause damage to greens when flag poles, with said device attached, are dropped thereon.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows details of my device.

FIG. 2 shows my device attached to top of a golf flag pole.

FIG. 3 shows a golfer holding his putter with its blade hooking my device and ready to raise the flag pole up to his reach.

FIG. 4 shows second embodiment of my device within a cup.

FIG. 4a shows details of the second embodiment of my device.

FIG. 5 shows a putter blade being inserted into anchor ring of second embodiment of my device, for hooking.

Referring to the drawings, FIG, 1 shows internal screw threads 3, in internally recessed end of flexible, elongated base member 2, with a spherical, cage-like enclosure integrally connected to base member 2, and axially spaced from internally recessed threaded end. The internal screw threads 3, are made to fit threads normally made on top of golf flag poles and my device replaces the nut normally installed here. The cage like enclosure is made up of a plurality of intersecting, angularly spaced, rodlike members 1, with putter blade size openings between rod-like members, making a snare for hooking with a putter, when retrieving. Being an enclosure, that is in three dimensions, some rod-like members are always up for hooking when the opposite side of the enclosure is lying on the green. The flexible base member 2 allows 3,310,026 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 angular deflection of the cage from its normal position where its common center line with base member is :an upper extension of the flag poles axis. This deflection prevents a fixed protrusion from the flag pole which could cause damage, as discussed above, when the flag pole is dropped onto a green.

FIG. 2 shows my device 4, installed on top of a golf flag pole 6, with flag 5, and entire unit being held upright by its holder in cup 15.

FIG. 3 shows a golfer 7, using his putter shaft 8, and putter blade 9, as a hook on an extended handle and hooking into rod-like members of cage-like enclosure of my retriever. This golfer is ready to raise the flag pole 6, by flexing his right wrist and elbow. After raising the pole, by actions of his right arm, the golfer can grasp the pole 6, or the flag 5, and thus readily, without stooping or bending, return the flag pole to its upright position in the cup 15, of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows embodiment 2 of this invention which can be installed so as to be within cup 15, whenever flag pole is installed in cup. This provision is made for use when rules committees have objections to any additional device on a flag pole which could alter the course of an airborne golf ball.

FIG. 4a shows details of embodiment 2 with tubular attachment element 10, which is split for installation and has a friction fit onto flag pole 6, flexible, rod-like support members 14, made into and connecting attachment element 10, with a flag pole encompassing anchor ring 11, all forming a cage-like, frusto-conical configuration of wire like elements with anchor ring as base of cone, attachment element near tip of cone and flexible rod-like support members as sides of cone with putter blade size openings between rod-like support members. The flexible support members 14, allow relative movement of the pole 6 within anchor ring 11, while maintaining the plane of the ring 11, generally perpendicular to the pole 6.

FIG. 5 shows a portion of a flag pole '6, with the second embodiment of this invention installed thereon, lying on a green with a putter blade 9, on shaft 8, being inserted into anchor ring 11, for retrieving. Since anchor ring 11 is restricted in movement so that its plane is generally perpendicular to the poles axis, it will also be perpendicular to the green and thus always open for hooking. The cage-like construction of the sides of the cone permit hooking of the rod-like support members 14, also.

FIG. 5 also shows the deflection allowed by free relative movement of pole 6, within anchor ring 11, due to flexible nature of rod-like support members 14. This prevents green damages which could be caused by any fixed protrusion from a falling flag pole.

I claim:

1. A golf flag pole retrieving device comprising an elongated, flexible, tubular support member, a plurality of angularly spaced, integrally formed, rod-like elements constituting -a cage-like member, said cage-like member mounted on one end of said tubular member, said tubular member being adapted for axial mounting on said flag pole.

2. A golf flag pole retrieving device comprising an elongated flexible, tubular support member, said member forming in one end thereof an axial internall threaded bore for attaching said member to said pole, a plurality of angularly spaced, integrally formed ring elements con- References Cited by the Examiner stituting a. spherical cage-like member, said cage-lilfe UNITED STATES PATENTS member mounted on sand support member opposite sa1d bore whereby said flag pole can be retrieved with the blade 663,761 12/1900 Johnson 273 34 end of a golf club 5 979,313 12/1910 King et a1 27334 3. A golf flag pole retrieving device comprising an 1,538,822 5/1925 Ke nnedY 273-34 elongated, flexible, split tubular support member, a plu- 2 9 Q 34 wllsgn 273*34 rality of wire elements integrally formed to constitute a 4 19 4 Jam y 273 34 frusto-conical shaped cage-like member, said cage-like FOREIGN PATENTS member mounted on one end of said support member, said 10 8,695 1905 Great Britain support member being adapted for transverse attachment to said flag pole. LOUIS J. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GOLF FLAG POLE RETRIEVING DEVICE COMPRISING AN ELONGATED, FLEXIBLE, TUBULAR SUPPORT MEMBER, A PLURALITY OF ANGULARLY SPACED, INTEGRALLY FORMED, ROD-LIKE ELEMENTS CONSTITUTING A CAGE-LIKE MEMBER, SAID CAGE-LIKE MEMBER MOUNTED ON ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER BEING ADAPTED FOR AXIAL MOUNTING ON SAID FLAG POLE. 